Happy October!

Meet our Newest College Student Leaders,

All Former MTB High School Fellows

Ask a Question

There's no such thing as a stupid question. Ask anything and everything by going to this form. Don't be shy! bit.ly/AskMTB

Q: What's the best way to visit a college?

A: Students and families can easily visit many schools virtually (online). Some offer tours and live Q&Q sessions. Students can also apply beginning in the late spring of junior year and fall of senior year to be selected for a Fly-In Visit. All costs for these visits are typically paid by the school, and some institutions will also pay for a parent to accompany the student as well. These programs can be competitive but are a great way to check out a school and demonstrate your interest.

MTB Senior Fellow Kelmys has been selected to attend a Fly-In Program at Swarthmore College this year.

Meet the MTB Support Team!

My name is Joanny Iniguez, and I’m excited to be part of the More Than Bootstraps team.

As a Puerto Rican and Dominican first-generation college graduate, I’ve experienced the unique challenges of navigating the educational system without a clear roadmap. Growing up in a single-parent household in West New York, NJ, I understand the importance of support and guidance in pursuing educational goals.

I’m working toward my master’s degree in social work at Rutgers University, where I’m further developing my skills to empower students from similar backgrounds. I’m passionate about helping students overcome barriers and achieve their goals, just like I did. I look forward to sharing my journey and supporting others in creating their own paths to success through education.

Reach Joanny at joanny@morethanbootstraps.org.

Hi, my name is Sussex. I’m Salvadorean, and I immigrated to the USA when I was 15. I’m also a first-generation student starting my master’s degree program. One of my aspirations is to support and help others where possible and give my best. I'm driven by support and encouragement, and I would love to provide that support to others who need that push to keep pushing forward. I love listening to self-improvement books, crafting, and couponing. My favorite seasons are summer and fall, and I love to eat mango verdes with hot sauce, lemon, and salt. I love to ask questions. Nice to meet you all, and I’m here to help if you need me.

Congratulations to Sussex for being awarded the LISTA Bilingual Social Work Student Scholarship. The $10,000 award, funded by the Latino Action Network Foundation, will help fund Sussex’s pursuit of her graduate degree in social work at Rutgers University and her completion of the Certificate Program in Latina/o/x Initiatives for Service, Training, and Assessment (LISTA), a program designed to give future social work practitioners the ability to provide culturally informed and responsive services to Latina/o/x populations.

Reach Sussex at sussex@morethanbootstraps.org.

My name is Gabriella Gangemi and I just started my first year at Rutgers University pursuing my Masters in Social Work! I recently graduated from Montclair State University with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Science and Human Development with a concentration in School Settings.

Throughout my high school and college years, I volunteered for the Epilepsy Services of New Jersey.

I mentored and advocated for those with disabilities. During the years that I worked with this nonprofit I learned about the importance of advocating for others. While at Montclair State University, I was a student leader involved in supporting others. This taught me how to organize my time and be there for students. I’m very excited to start my first year working with More Than Bootstraps and I can’t wait to grow with the program!

Reach Gabi at gabi@morethanbootstraps.org.

Ayana Goodwin is a first-generation college graduate, who received her BA in sociology from Kean University in 2020. She is currently at Rutgers University pursuing her Master’s in Social Work with an area of emphasis in mental and behavioral health. She aspires to become a therapist, offering clinical services for people of color and underrepresented groups.

Ayana is also an early childhood educator with over eight years of experience. She’s currently a 1st-grade teacher in the Plainfield Public Schools.

Ayana served as a social work intern with More Than Bootstraps for the 2022-2023 academic year, a Program Resource Fellow for 2023-2024 academic year, and will be returning as a social work intern for the 2024-2025 academic year to finish out her MSW program.

Reach Ayana at ayana@morethanbootstraps.org.

Level All Resource

We are partnering with Level All, an online platform designed to support your student’s success. Access to Level All is being offered to members of our MTB community free of charge.

ACTION REQUIRED: Families, you may have already received an email invitation from Level All. If you wish to take advantage of this resource, please accept this invitation and create your account. There is no requirement to do so!

The Level All content library has detailed short-form articles and videos covering:

• Succeeding in high school
• Navigating the college application process
• Affording college
• College transition and success
• College alternatives
• Career exploration and preparation
• Financial literacy
• Life skills 
• And more!

You can take a walkthrough of the Level All platform. 

If you missed the email but want to access the platform, click here:

Coming Soon - Mark Your Planner!

Our second Full Group Meeting is on Saturday, October 12, at 10 AM (Zoom) or Sunday, October 13, at 4 PM.

Task 2:

We'll be talking about communication and professionalism and digging into Leaders' college bills to see how college can be affordable and understand more about tuition and non-tuition costs.

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